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 Monday night the Kutztown University Jazz Band performed at the Kennedy Center  in Washington to a full house on the Millennium Stage.  I walked around back and even saw kids sitting down on the carpet behind the seats area!  You can catch their same show a little closer to home tonight  on campus.

They had a special guest stop by, one of their hosts for their rehearsal session on Sunday, from the U.S. Army Blues Band .  The musicians were  to see the band perform later that night.  Click on the above images for more photos from the performance.

This was a great night for me, celebrating  my final day as an over 20 year senior photographer for a global 20,000 employee company. Yes, I took most of their images, meeting some of the most interesting people along the way.  But time to move onto new adventures! 

I could not have asked for a better way to leave my work  of 20+ years, hearing my son play his trumpet in the halls of the Kennedy Center.   His evening of music healed the pain of not seeing 4,ooo friends every day.

Dad would have been especially proud of him this year!  Lincoln  and Kennedy in one year,  not bad at all for a college senior…..I am sure he was listening.

I thought I could offer some suggestions to brides who are looking for a wedding photographer.

First, let me say that I’m referring to a still photographer and not a videographer. The videographer is in different business altogether. If when you’re interviewing someone and they say they can do it all, think twice! Many vendors say they can do both. This may be true, but one person can’t do it simultaneously. I’m highly skeptical that the same person can put a video camera down and pick up a still camera without missing a shot. I can’t do it and have yet seen anyone do this effectively. Each is its own discipline. If your wedding images are important, I would suggest you get separate vendors.

Yellow Pages Now: Search Engines

Where to start? If you’re reading this, it means you are web savvy and don’t need help with how to enter keywords into a search field. Also I’m sure you know to add geographical keywords to filter out photographers who are not in your area. A lot of photographers target the various titles of their webpage’s with city names, even though they obviously aren’t from those cities. They are attempting to draw you in from neighboring regions.

I would think the following are among your criteria. Naturally, no two brides will rank these the same way. I’m only listing what my considerations if it were my daughter getting married.

• Price
• Competence
• Reputation
• Personality
• The Package
• Style
• Experience
• The contract

Price

People are unrealistic about what they can get for what they are willing to pay.This is where most brides are tempted to skimp on. However, the photographer should be the highest paid vendor at your big day. Why? Based on time alone, of the vendors, the DJ, Florists, caterer, musicians or minister you hire, who will be there the longest? At the end of the evening after the food and beverages is consumed, all you will have left to remember this day is the pictures. The party was for your guests–the pictures, well, they are for you.

Competence ? Equipment

This is hard to determine. My suggestion is ask to see the photographer’s edited images from 2 or 3 weddings. I’m not just referring to their “book.” It’s easy to come up with the best pictures from 30 weddings. Look for an entire wedding in one book..

Glaring omissions like no pictures of the couple coming down the aisle for the 1st time could mean they weren’t ready and in position to capture that. If all the pictures looked posed and stiff, then it means they aren’t observant, ready with camera and  right lens, or are not in the right place anticipating what’s next.

Ask what cameras they use. Usually a 10 megapixel is plenty. If they only have one camera body, you don’t want to hire them. How many flash units are they bringing along, do they have a backup for all their equipment? Now just because they have the latest greatest camera equipment only means that they have good gear, nothing more. Far too many people who are “hobbyists” with websites are passing themselves off as professionals.  How long have they been in the industry?  Have they photographed more than 20 weddings?

Reputation

Ask your friends for recommendations!  In fairness people are just people. Just as there are photographers who are total flakes, there are brides who are just difficult to please.  As with most things on the Internet, anyone can claim anything on their own website. Go to a 3rd party website, read reviews, and then you at least have an idea of what you’re getting yourself into. Never hire anyone without meeting with them to discuss their contract. If they don’t have a contract, you are asking for trouble if things go wrong.

Personality

Anyone can claim to be a people person. But that doesn’t guarantee you will get along. We’ve all met quirky people with strange sense of humor. In small doses, they’re probably tolerable. In your photographer, you want someone you can relate to. One of my key strengths is making people at ease in front of my camera.

Thank You….

for considering me to capture the emotions of your most important day!  I do believe weddings are sacred and special.  My wedding photography is the delicate balance in knowing when to suggest, and when to allow the moment to spontaneously occur.  Being unobtrusive and subtle allows me to photograph as the day as it unfolds, not directing your day.  Proper planning on both our parts will ensure a stress free day.  I am working for you and your family to capture the memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

Halie playing "Cyndi"; singing "Material Girl"

First musical in 25 years performed at Louis E. Dieruff High School in Allentown.  What a talented crew of students and band members!  Song after song, 26 in I think it was.  Shayla as Tiffany had me beliving her part; so did Jonathan as Feargal McFerrin III.  These kids had fun, and obviously put in alot of time and effort into their parts. Kudos to the staff for coaching these fine actors onto the stage.  It was great to see the auditorium filled with excited and cheering parents and friends.  Good luck to all the cast in your future endeavors.  Was a great night to be in the audience.  Click on the image above to see more great student actors.